Paddle shifter Retrofit

[GP20]

Well I was able to get the shifters for $76 (correction), and for some odd reason my car already came with a steering wheel so I guess I dont have to worry about that.

Unless your car happeens to come from the factory with SMG steering wheel and spoke covers for the SMG, I'd start worrying a little if I were you.

 

[Ahvaio]

I am already worried. SMG ????????? :? :?

What does SMG wheel and spoke have to do with anything.

I don't understand, you are not suggesting that the paddle shifters come only on SMG models.
I test drove a 3.0si automatic with paddle shifters last month. Please feel free to visit your local dealer and inquire.

I have already retrofitted the steering wheel buttons, so I am somewhat familiar with the z4 steering wheel, the only diffrence between all the wheels offered by BMW for the Z4 is buttons, paddles, and a little M logo for the M style. P.S. BMW z4's come prewired. Trust me its so the magicians at the local dealer can install an alarm or cd changer for you for Big $$$$.

 

[Ahvaio]

After all these cars are mass produced with interchangable parts on an assembly line,

its not like they are hand built one of a kind Bentleys. next thing you'll tell me is that the engine, tranny, and drive train can't be swithced for a bmw v8. like that hasen't already been done.

:fuelfire: :fuelfire:

 

[GP20]

What does SMG wheel and spoke have to do with anything.

I'm sure you can find some sharp knife and cut a couple of holes to make room for the paddles.

I don't understand, you are not suggesting that the paddle shifters come only on SMG models.

No.

I test drove a 3.0si automatic with paddle shifters last month. Please feel free to visit your local dealer and inquire.

Unnecessary. I know the Z4 better than you assumed.

I have already retrofitted the steering wheel buttons, so I am somewhat familiar with the z4 steering wheel, the only diffrence between all the wheels offered by BMW for the Z4 is buttons, paddles, and a little M logo for the M style. P.S. BMW z4's come prewired. Trust me its so the magicians at the local dealer can install an alarm or cd changer for you for Big $$$$.

No problem for you then. Sounds like you're really good at cutting with knife too. I personally wouldn't settle with anything less than perfect when it comes to my own cars and would've just bought new parts that are intended for. But if you don't mind doing the cutting and trimming yourself, all power to you.

 

[Ahvaio]

Actually last I used a Rotozip to make room on my dash for the flip up GPS monitor.
Well I guess there are those who are fabricators and those who are customers.

 

[Curtis]

Found this on ebay. I don't know anything about it but it might be of interest to you guys.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-M3-E46-CSL-Pa ... dZViewItem

 

[The HACK]

Sorry to say but you sound like my local dealer who said a O.E. navigation retrofit could not be done on a z4. they surely didnt think I could do it. Well I am proud to say I installed that myself without any help or problem. Then I reporgrammed it with v27.1. now it has v.29.1. I made sure I went back to my local dealer and showed them. They had to check my vin number to make sure I was not pulling there chain. I am sure the navigation system was much harder and more complex to install then two paddles that connect to a wheel. When I install the kit I will make sure to update this post.

Oh I have no doubt OE navigation can be retrofitted. I knew that 7 years ago with the E46.

The steering with the paddle shift is a little bit more complicated. From what I understand, the existing wire loom going from the steering column to the transmission control module does not exist on none SMG/SSG cars on the E46. From some preliminary poking around, this appears to be the case as well for the Z4. Now, I'm not saying that you can't make paddles shift work on the Z4. You certainly can as Mr. Paddle Shift has proven.

Let's take this other analogy. You say the OE navigation can be retrofitted to the Z4. Now, can you just retrofit the screen of the navigation system without the navigation system itself, and get navigation capabilities? Or can you do it without the GPS module? I believe the paddles are the same case. They are just the control interface to the system, you'll need the wiring loom or other additional parts to make the proper interface to the shift control module.

Just a hunch. I'll be here to take everything back if he can make the $75 paddles fit without any other additional hardware.

 

[The HACK]

After all these cars are mass produced with interchangable parts on an assembly line

You'd be surprised.

My MZ4 Coupe did not come with Premium package and all the wiring for the autodimming mirror is missing. If I wanted to add auto-dimming mirror with the garage door opener attached, I'll have to run two complete harnesses all the way down to the glovebox. Not a big deal, but do not assume that BMW put in wires for features and options that doesn't exist on your car.

Looking at RealOEM, here are the steering wheel part numbers:

Steering wheel without paddle and without multifunction buttons:
32306761826

Steering wheel with paddles and without multifunction buttons:
32306773966

Steering wheel without paddles and with multifunction buttons:
32306763531

Steering wheel with paddles and with multifunction buttons:
32306773967

Again, I wish you the best of luck. Maybe I'm wrong. But from a quick glance it appear that there are different part number steering wheels for cars with and without paddles. It is entirely possible that the part number without paddles does not come with the required wiring harness, or if it does, the harness behind the steering wheel does not have the required wires to run to the shift control module.

Of course, this could all be the biggest marketing SCAM of the century, that BMW charges $100 plus force you to order sports package ($1,400?) to add the paddles when it can be added for $76.

 

[Ahvaio]

I guess only time will tell. I am still waiting to get the shifters by mail.

Well all I can say is that if the harness is not per wired in the steering wheel, then I will just run wires down to my electronic (hence wire controlled) automatic shifter switch, which has the + and - shift switch. I am guessing the cost might shoot up $10 more dollars for the correct gage wires. I can't wait.

If everything else fails I will order the M style wheel and shifters from Mr. padleshifter and pay him whatever amount of money he wants. After all I am not doing this because I am cheap, I am just a nut who likes working on cars, and I consider my BMW Z4 my new project car. All the other prior project cars were finished and sold at huge profits.

While I am at it I might just pull the engine and transmission and replace it with the m engine and manual transmission, or maybe a turbo with the current engine.

 

[The HACK]

Swap in the V8 from the E92 M3. It's lighter than the M's inline 6.

I'm not trying to discourage you, in fact I enjoy reading other's DIY experiences. It reminds me of the good ol' days when me and my buddies get together and dissect our cars, take it apart, put it back together. Being married now and expecting our first pretty much sapped all my time available for these little fun projects.

Just trying to play devil's advocate and point out some of the hurdles you will likely face. Like all DIYers, I like to be prepared for the worst before a project starts.

Good luck.

 

[BlackSapphireZ]

man people dont even know what they're talking about and try to crush someones ideas. this can be done! people did it in their E46's. I get more ideas from E46fanatics than three z4 forums combined!

I didn't bid on that item because seller said he woudln't ship to USA. or else I would've bought the MFSW and Paddles together!

 

[GP20]

man people dont even know what they're talking about and try to crush someones ideas. this can be done! people did it in their E46's. I get more ideas from E46fanatics than three z4 forums combined!

I didn't bid on that item because seller said he woudln't ship to USA. or else I would've bought the MFSW and Paddles together!

Of course this can be done. Nobody said this couldn't be done. You just need the "right" parts to complete this project. You can't make chicken soup out of chiken sh!t.

 

[The HACK]

man people dont even know what they're talking about and try to crush someones ideas. this can be done! people did it in their E46's. I get more ideas from E46fanatics than three z4 forums combined!

I didn't bid on that item because seller said he woudln't ship to USA. or else I would've bought the MFSW and Paddles together!

And guess who first figured out how to do it and supplied the kit to do it? Mr Paddle.Shift.

 

[Ahvaio]

Actually the first persons to figure it out were the BMW Engineers who designed the entire system, Mr. paddleshift might of been next according to you.

I have a feeling you are employed or get some kind of commission from him , because I have a feeling he is not the only one in the entire world who figured out this system.

I might be wrong wasen't the system first designed for F1 racing.

 

[The HACK]

Actually the first persons to figure it out were the BMW Engineers who designed the entire system, Mr. paddleshift might of been next according to you.

I have a feeling you are employed or get some kind of commission from him , because I have a feeling he is not the only one in the entire world who figured out this system.

I might be wrong wasen't the system first designed for F1 racing.

BMW first figured out how to put the F1 system on a road car in the E46 M3. Alpina is the first one to put the Shiftronic system with shifting on the steering wheel. Paddle.Shift is the first one to figure out how to use Alpina's Shiftronic interface and the E46 M3's paddles to retrofit it to non-M E46es. Really. He was WAY ahead of BMW engineers in figuring out there's a market for automatics who want to paddle shift. Back in 2001. BMW just started offering paddle shift for automatics in 2006.

Think whatever you may. I'm here to offer you some advice. Don't want it, I don't really give a rat's @ss. I'm not here to please you...And if you think I'm employed by Paddle.Shift, think again. With how many people I've already offended so far here he would have fired me long time ago if I'm indeed under his employ.

I'm done with this. Remind me not to help anyone in the future. :thumbsdown:

 

[Ahvaio]

You sure seem to give a sh*t, and thank you for all the great information you have provided, (which was nothing)
I really appreciate getting input from a loser who claim to offend people on sites and is proud of it, Get a life and stop posting your bullsh*t grandpa. thanks for the help keep up the good work.

 

[GP20]

You sure seem to give a sh*t, and thank you for all the great information you have provided, (which was nothing)
I really appreciate getting input from a loser who claim to offend people on sites and is proud of it, Get a life and stop posting your bullsh*t grandpa. thanks for the help keep up the good work.

I'm not sure I understand the point of this thread anymore. You started the thread asking for information and advice on retrofitting the paddle shifters. And it seems like every time someone brought up legitimate issues and potential obstacles you might run into, you became very defensive and your immediate response was along the line of "the dealer said I couldn't retrofit OEM navi but guess what I did it. I can do anything and don't tell me I can't". Nobody here is saying the paddle shifter retrofit can't be done. Nobody's saying you aren't capable of doing such install yourself. However, there's a smart way to do things and then there's a dumb/cheap/less informed way to do things. If there might be potential issues that you'll run into, wouldn't you rather that people bring it up now instead of after you've already tried the install scratching your head wondering why something doesn't work? The HACK has provided some good information in this thread. Maybe if you weren't so close minded & arrogant you would've appreciated his putting the time to even respond in this thread in the first place.

 

[fire-n-ice]

opcorn:

 

[Ale_72]

So...
From my understanding until now
Easy solution
buy steering wheel with paddles, wires and diagrams from mr paddle shift
pros:
- it works and it's easy to fit
cons
- pricey (because of the steering wheel and considering that I'm in europe they will kill me with shipping costs and taxes)

Difficult solution
buy paddles, fit on my steering wheel and look around for diagrams and instructions
pros:
- cheaper
cons:
- difficult to fit
- not easy to find paddles on ebay
- double check if the following information can be used
http://www.bmwmods.co.uk/mods/smgwheel/index.html
http://e46.mit.edu/PaddleShift_Retrofit_Project.htm
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71324
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.p ... stcount=61

 

[ovrkll]

Okay, guys, play nice please. A healthy disagreement is fine,,, BUT, avoid personal attacks :ycard: . "Nuff said.